A home in Westmoreland County was destroyed by a fire on Wednesday.

Crews were called to the home in New Kensington on Richdale Drive around 6 p.m. for reports of a fire. The fire chief, Ed Saliba, said the homeowner came home from work and saw smoke. The woman was taken to a local hospital for an evaluation.

"She quickly shut the door, which was a very good thing," Saliba said. "But she fell down the steps. Luckily, she was able to get out."

Firefighters arrived within minutes of the call, and they faced tough conditions outside the home.

"We had extreme smoke and heat conditions," Saliba said.

However, getting inside was an even bigger challenge because of a hoarding situation. Pictures from the first floor of the house showed debris scattered all over.

"We could not open the front

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